ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the function of the non-affected hand of hemiplegic children is comparable to the hand function with both normal hands. The subjects of the study were 19 hemiplegic children and 20 normal children, all six years of age. The hemiplegic children were treated at one of three facili- ties: Yonsei University Rehabilitation Hospital, Seoul Community Rehabilitation Center and Inchon Severance Hospital during in period March to April, 1996. The normal children were randomly selected from a kindergarten in Inchon City. All hand function was measured by Jebsen Hand Function Test. Subtest was analysed statistically using the basic statistic analysis, Mam-Whitney test and Pearson correlation test . The results were as follows: The normal children had faster right hand function than herniplegic children whose nonaffected hand was their right hand, for the small objects, simulatedfeeding, checkers subtests. Normal children had faster left hand function than hemiplegic children whose nonaffected hand was their left hand, for the small objects, checkers, large light objects and large heavy objects. The unaffected hand function of the hemiplegic children had a negative correlation with time of diagnosis, and treatment durat ion. These results showed that the nonaffected hand function of hemiplegic children dif- fered from the respective hand of normal children. Therefore, when hemiplegic children are treated, both the affected and unaffected hand must be treated as this will affect the treatment result.